Norwegian FA Unhappy With Nike Over Haaland’s Early 2026 World Cup Kit Reveal
Mar 23, 2026, by Phan Tich Giay
- Nike's Premature Kit Reveal: The Norwegian FA is frustrated with Nike for releasing the 2026 World Cup kits featuring Erling Haaland before the federation's planned launch date.
- Communication Breakdown: Nike did not inform the Norwegian FA about the Instagram teaser video, forcing them to rush their official kit release.
- Protecting Haaland: Despite the uncoordinated launch, the Norwegian FA Head of Brand Management clarified that Erling Haaland is not to blame for the situation.
A highly unusual and somewhat uncoordinated situation has unfolded surrounding the launch of Norway's new national team jerseys. According to a recent report by Flash Score, the Norwegian Football Association (NFA) has been left deeply frustrated with Nike after the sportswear giant prematurely revealed the 2026 World Cup kits, completely bypassing the federation's official release schedule.
Norwegian FA Unhappy With Nike Over Haaland’s Early 2026 World Cup Kit Reveal
The original plan was straightforward: the NFF intended to officially launch their new 2026 World Cup kits today, March 23, aligning perfectly with Nike's global release calendar.
However, on March 19 - four days ahead of schedule—Nike and superstar striker Erling Haaland suddenly dropped a teaser video on Instagram. While it may have been intended as a short promotional clip, both the new home and away shirts were clearly displayed at the end of the video.
The core issue is that neither the Norwegian Federation nor its key executives were informed about the plans for this Instagram post. The sudden reveal forced the NFF to scramble and prematurely launch the 2026 kits just to match the leaked teaser, leaving them completely unprepared.
Speaking to NRK, Jan Ove Nystuen, Head of Brand Management at the NFF, expressed his disappointment:
"Maybe they went out with the kit now because of the danger of things being leaked, I'm not sure. But now the cat is out of the bag. And the race we've been on has come to an end."
Instagram 'Firefighting'
A quick look at Nike's Instagram timeline reveals a distinctly disjointed release strategy.
The initial teaser video featuring Haaland only tagged the player himself, completely omitting any mention or tag for the Norwegian FA. In an apparent "firefighting" move to create a sense of seamlessness, Nike immediately followed up with an official kit release post, this time making sure to tag the national team account (@herrelandslaget).
This lack of cohesion and communication from Nike has been viewed as somewhat unprofessional, as they effectively went over the federation's head to publish the teaser.
No Blame on Haaland
Despite the chaotic launch making the federation look uncoordinated, Nystuen was quick to defend their star striker.
"This is classic. This makes us look very bad," admitted Nystuen. "But Erling (Braut Haaland) is not to blame for this at all. Here, others have broken the publishing cycle."
What are your thoughts on Nike's handling of this kit launch? Should brands have more freedom to reveal kits using their star athletes, or should they strictly respect the federation's schedule? Let us know in the comments below.
Nottingham Forest Debut 26-27 Adidas Away Kit
Nottingham Forest have officially debuted their new Adidas away kit for the 26-27 season during pre-season action in Italy.
The new uniform features a dark collegiate green base color that pays homage to the club's heritage and moniker, accompanied by bright red accents and the classic Adidas Trefoil logo. The shirt incorporates an all-over leafy printed graphic pattern across the fabric, providing a subtle textured finish. Bright red Three Stripes run along the shoulders, complemented by matching red piping around the collar and sleeve cuffs.
CD Manchego Ciudad Real 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Spanish Tercera Federación side CD Manchego Ciudad Real has officially presented its new home and away kits for the 26-27 season. Made by long-term technical sponsor Joma, with whom the club recently extended their partnership through 27-28, the new collection pairs classic heritage design with a modern look.
The 26-27 home kit uses Joma's Vintage Eco-Retro template, featuring a royal blue body paired with a contrasting white polo collar and matching sleeve trim. The shirt incorporates a clean monochrome white club crest alongside the municipal emblem of Ciudad Real and a 97th-anniversary detail on the lower back.
For the away option, Manchego Ciudad Real adopts Joma's Championship VIII model. The kit features a sleek black and anthracite base with subtle sublimated graphic detailing across the shoulder panels. Like the home shirt, it carries a white monochrome crest, local municipality details, and special anniversary branding on the reverse.
AJ Auxerre 26-27 Away Kit Released
French club AJ Auxerre and technical partner Macron have officially launched the new away kit for the 26-27 season. Continuing the club's recent tradition of wearing black away strips, the latest release blends a modern dark look with subtle historical references.
The AJ Auxerre 26-27 away jersey features a black base highlighted by a striking blue and white horizontal chest band that houses the Macron logo and club crest. Across the main body, tonal horizontal stripes feature a repeating pattern of the Maltese cross and the club's founding year, 1905. White trim on the crew collar and sleeve cuffs with light blue accents, along with the full club name embroidered on the upper back, finish off the shirt.
Matching black shorts with blue and white detailing and black socks complete the new AJ Auxerre 26-27 away kit.
Os Belenenses 26-27 Home Kit Released
Portuguese side CF Os Belenenses and Hummel have officially unveiled the club's new home kit for the 26-27 season. Pre-orders for the new jersey opened exclusively through the club's online store, Loja Azul.
The Hummel Belenenses 26-27 home shirt comes in the club's signature royal blue base, complemented by a classic white polo collar and white sleeve cuffs. Hummel's signature chevrons run down the shoulders in white, while a bespoke tonal graphic pattern decorates the front of the jersey. This pattern incorporates motifs inspired by traditional Portuguese tilework and historical symbols honoring Belém and the club's history since 1919.
The iconic red Cross of the Order of Christ emblem is featured on the left chest, accompanied by the Hummel logo and main sponsor bwin across the front. The new 26-27 home kit is paired with traditional white shorts and blue socks.
OFI Crete 26-27 Third Kit Released
Greek Super League side OFI Crete and Puma have officially unveiled the club's new third kit for the 26-27 season. Following the earlier release of their stealth-inspired fourth jersey, the Cretan side's latest strip brings a bold, high-contrast look to the pitch. The Puma OFI Crete 26-27 third jersey features a vibrant bright orange torso combined with contrasting dark navy raglan sleeves and collar detail. White Puma cat branding sits on the right chest, while main sponsor Betsson appears across the front in white lettering. Completing the design, the official circular OFI Crete badge is positioned on the left chest, topped by two silver stars referencing the club's historic Greek Cup triumphs. The kit is paired with dark shorts and matching socks to complete the on-pitch ensemble.
Forlì FC 26-27 Home Kit Released
Italian club Forlì FC and technical kit supplier Ready have officially unveiled the team's new home jersey for the 26-27 season. The design stays true to the club's traditional identity while introducing neat subtle detailing across the torso.
The Forlì FC 26-27 home shirt features a classic half-and-half look split vertically down the center in red and white. The sleeves invert the primary colors of each side, featuring a white sleeve attached to the red half and a red sleeve on the white half. A trim V-neck collar, white Ready branding, and an all-over tonal pattern of the club's signature rooster motif complete the design.
Can You See What’s Hidden in Bayern’s Leaked 26-27 Third Kit?
We’ve finally figured out what the mysterious pattern on Bayern Munich’s 2026-2027 third kit is showing - but we’re not going to reveal it just yet.
Take a closer look at the shirt. Can you spot the hidden image yourself (there are four in total)?
Challenge: See if you can figure it out before we reveal the answer.
Tip: It's easier to see it in the back image
Figueirense 2026 Third Kit Released
Brazilian club Figueirense FC and supplier Volt Sport have officially launched the club's new third shirt for 2026. Celebrating Figueirense's 105th anniversary, the special edition kit arrives in a sleek black and gold colorway designed to highlight the club's rich history.
The standout element of the Figueirense 2026 third shirt is the tone-on-tone script running across the front, featuring handwritten lyrics from the club's official anthem, Avante Figueirense. Gold details appear on the Volt logo, retro monogram crest, collar, and sleeve cuffs. Elaborate geometric patterns decorate the collar and cuffs, while a commemorative 105th anniversary badge is placed near the bottom right hem.
In addition to the player shirt, Volt has also introduced an inverted goalkeeper version featuring a gold base paired with black trimmings and matching patterned details.